THE article “Six-year-old abducted by man ‘looking for his cat’” (The Star, Jan 10) has not only caught my attention as a reader but it has also left me feeling concerned about children becoming victims of crime, which is now rampant in Malaysia.

It is sad the world is no longer a safe place for children. As a result, parents and the community have to constantly watch out for their safety.

I believe we need to tackle the growing issue of child safety.

For starters, we should start with the family. Parents need to teach their children to be assertive and streetwise.

Children must learn not to befriend, offer help to, or accept gifts and promises from strangers, and also be brave enough to say “no” and report any “bad secret” to a trusted adult such as a teacher or a parent.

Parents need to watch out for their children when they are outside the home, be it the playground, night market or park.

As for parents who are unable to watch their children due to work, they should place their children with a babysitter, be it a relative or a neighbour.

Children should be chaperoned back and forth regardless of distance, instead of assuming the child will return home safely on his own from a short walk to a shop or a neighbour’s house.

A special child safety programme should be implemented in all schools where students can learn about safety.

They need to learn that child predators can be anyone regardless of occupation, appearances, gender, and age.

A neighbourhood watch committee within the community can be of great help to ensure that children are safe. The committee can work together with the police.

A Bill against child abductors, murderers, and paedophiles should be enacted and made law where these monsters can be locked away for a long, long time.

Moreover, a special registry containing the name list of child predators and paedophiles should be made available to alert the public to these criminals.

S. YIN,
Auckland, New Zealand.

Source: The Star – January 11, 2008